The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-06-30
THE DISTANT PAST.
Gosslppy RecollectIons Showing That Ours
Ii Still . Very Young Nation.

1--WE think of the time of Washington
as ages" said an elderly gentleman of
antiquarian tastes, land yet can point
to many illustrations which will suggest
how very near the distant past is to US.
after all For instance, until within 8
few months law partner of Aaron
Burr was in active practice in this city.
He had an Office in the building that
was torn down to make room for Tenn
pie court and yet Burr came within a
hairs breadth of being the third Presi-
dent of the United States. His tie vote
with Jefferson threw the election into
the House. Peter Cooper, who died not
long ago, remembered the day of
Washington's funeral. Daniel Webster
was born while the revolution was in
progress, and there are many men still
in their prime in New York who have
seen and heard him, and if l am not
mistaken both Mr.. Field and Mr.. Evarts
have been engaged in law cases in
which Webster was also counsel. l re-
Gently met hearty man of business
Just over the line in Connecticut who
was chairman of the local committee
appointed to receive Lafayette when he
made his second visit to this country.
This mans name is John Newman, and
he remembers very well how Lafayette
looked and what he said on that occa-
sion. Henry Clay and John c. Calhoun
were both lads before this Government
was organized, but there is still living
man who sat in the United States
Senate with them. refer to ex-Sen-
ator Simon Cameron.
There are receiving pensions to-day
as widows of soldiers of the revolution
seven women, and there were living at
the time of the civil war five men who
had fought during the revolution. l
heard one of them, the Rev. Daniel
Waldo, preach in 1881. Mr.. POore, the
Washington correspondent, has told me
that he has seen every President since
Madison, and had shaken hands and
spoken to every one since Monroe. An
old friend of mine named Abijah Resi-
qua, of Ridgeield, who died not long
ago, had voted for every President since
Madison, and he remembered very well
hearing the chHrch-bells toll on the day
of Washington's funeral. There is in
active business now a man who was
two years old when Washington was
first inaugurated President. He is
George L. Perkins, of Norwich, and he
was man grown when he sailed down
the Hudson on the famous trip that
Robert Fulton once made from and to
Albany with his steamboat. The engi-
neer of the first locomotive that ever
ran in the country was living some
months ago. and think still is.
There is now living, and in good
health, a famous man, who was a men,
Der of President Folks Cabinet forty
six years ago. 1 mean Bancroft, the
historian. Mr.. Bancroft has met with
very many men who took part in the
revolutionary war and conversed with
them. Very many New Workers, not
yet old men, were well acquainted with
the son of Alexander Hamilton, who
died not long ago. Yet Alexander
Hamilton was Washington's aid during
The revolution and his first Secretary of
the Treasury. You will see then from
these illustrations, and / might give
others, that we are still very young
republic, and that but few years have
passed since the time when all who now
i've might have taken the hands of men
who had seen Washington and who had
fought under him. Very many men
now living have, in fact, been able to
enjoy this privilege. IN Y Letter.